The Miscellany News
Volume CXLVIII | Issue 17
April 7, 2016
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
President Hill bids farewell in 2017 STEM field minorities given voice via pre-org O Noble Ingram and Jeremy Middleman Editor-in-Chief and Reporter
Kris Weber
Guest Reporter
M
en have long dominated the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, often collectively referred to as STEM. In the fall of 2014, biochemistry majors Neila Kline ’16 and Emory Werner ’16 set out to establish a group on campus that would provide a supportive space for women and other identities that have been historically marginalized in STEM fields. They also hoped to increase opportunities
On March 29 President Catherine Bond Hill announced the approaching end of her presidency in 2017. President Hill is the 10th president of Vassar College.
Frosh nabs second UVC award Jamie Anderson Guest Reporter
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Inside this issue
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Empanadas de Viento take FEATURES center stage
Knigge has been a consistent performer for Vassar as well, posting 3.82 points per set, 2.73 kills per set, as well as boasting a hitting percentage of .511 throughout the course of all 29 matches. He was named the United Volleyball Conference’s (UVC) player of the week once, as well as being named the Sports Import/American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) National Player of the Week, the first recognition of this kind for Vassar College since 2010. He was awarded these honors for his performance at the season-opening Wildcat Invitational, which was hosted by SUNY Poly. He was also named Co-MVP of the tournament in recognition of his .593 hitting percentage and 40 kills over the course of Vassar’s four matches. Another key to the success of the Brewer Men’s Volleyball team this season has been the consistent play of freshman outside hitter George Diehl. The 6’4” first-year student-athlete was a four-year letter-winner out of Lindbergh High School in St. Louis, MO. Head coach Robert Wolter had nothing but good things to say about the freshman. “[George] is willing to do anything you ask him to do without question. He has the ability to play multiple positions at an extremely high level.” During his time at Lindberg, Diehl See VOLLEYBALL on page 18
15 ARTS
Alan Hagins and Julia Cunningham Assistant Features Editors
“T
ime moves fast in Art 105. 3000 years of human creativity is a lot, but then you blink and Rembrandt is gone.” Sitting across from Professor of Art Molly Nesbit, it is easy to see how students would be drawn towards studying art history. To better support the feedback from students who have gone through the course in the past and to be able to do justice to all of the material the course presents, the Art History Department has been working to change the structure of the Art 105 course
that starts many students on their path towards an undergraduate degree in Art History. Nesbit explained how the discussion arose to restructure Art 105. As she said, “We’ve polled students in the class twice. Once in the fall of 2013, and at the beginning of this semester. This last poll was very interesting to us, because it was clear that the course was not fitting very well into the current campus culture.” Art History is a very dynamic subject. It crosses several disciplines and can be taught from multiple different See ART on page 7
Loeb takes it slow in celebration Patrick Tanella Reporter
L
ast weekend, I made the mistake of going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Good Friday. The museum was packed with tourists so we rushed through and attempted to see as much artwork as we could before becoming too annoyed with the mass of people surrounding us. When we had finally finished and left the mu-
seum, I realized that none of the art had left a significant impact on me. Those few seconds we would take to look at a work and maybe take a picture did not leave a lasting impression, which left me disappointed and full of regret. I was near art for hours, but did I really see it? Thankfully, the art world has come up with a new method of looking at works of art. Rather than spending the
average of eight seconds on a work, an event called Slow Art Day encourages people to spend several minutes on a specific piece in order to gain more reflection and clarity. The Coordinator of Public Education and Information at the Loeb, Margaret Vetare, has coordinated the Loeb’s participation in the event for the second year in a row. It all started in 2008 when the See LEOB on page 16
courtesy of FLLAC
he Vassar men’s volleyball team has been having a banner season, notching win after win and consistently ranking in the top 10 in the country. The Brewers will enter postseason play in the United Volleyball Conference this Friday with a current national ranking of eighth. Vassar has compiled an overall record of 23-7, going 7-3 at home, 8-3 away and 8-0 at neutral competition sites, while recording a 4-4 record throughout the course of in-conference competition. The team has had some especially noteworthy wins: over nationally fifth-ranked Nazareth College in five sets, national No. 9 Elmira College in four sets, 11th-ranked Kean University in three sets, as well as most recently against No. 13 nationally-ranked New York University, bringing their head-tohead record for the season to 1-1. A number of players have contributed to the very successful regular season with outstanding performances. Senior right side and captain Reno Kriz has been continuing his successful on-court career for Vassar this season. Playing in all 29 of the Brewers’ matches, he has recorded 4.01 points per set played, 3.41 kills per set, taking his career total for kills over 1,000 in just the fourth match of his senior year. Sophomore middle hitter Matthew
to engage in networking. Women in Science at Vassar College (WSVC) was the result, later changing its name to Women in STEM so as to include students from the Math and Computer Science Departments. “The function of the group is to establish a strong rapport amongst female Vassar students in the sciences,” Kline said, sitting across the table in the Old Bookstore. Werner, in an emailed statement, concurred, saying, “I hope that the club can be a See STEM on page 6
Art history class follows new timeline Ashley Pecorelli/The Miscellany News
n March 29, President Catharine Bond Hill announced her departure from Vassar at the end of the 2016-2017 school year in an all-campus email. “The Board of Trustees will make a more formal public announcement later today, but I wanted to take this opportunity to let our community know in a more personal way of this long-planned transition,” Hill wrote. By the time she steps down, the former economist will have been in office for 11 years. Her presidency will be marked by an emphatic prioritization of financial aid, a transformation of the student body and numerous renovations and expansions including the construction of its new integrated science building, the Bridge for the Laboratory Sciences. Hill’s announcement of her departure, however, has been met with some concern, particularly the worry that her biggest contribution to the College’s financial aid policy, need-blind admissions, will leave with her. “We have accomplished so much with contributions from so many at the college, it feels like the right time to hand over the work to a new president and to continue my work in some new and exciting ways,” Hill wrote. She will be on sabbatical through the fall of 2017, continuing her economics research on access and affordability. “My most recent work is on the impact of income inequality in America on higher education, which I think is a See CAPPY on page 4
For the second year, the Loeb is participating in Slow Art Day. This national celebration encourages museum patrons to contemplate art in a comfortable, safe space. This reflection can be meaningful for art aficionados and beginners alike.
Be aware of Decoda’s traveling bassoonist
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VC baseball hits it out of the park with SPORTS beginning of season